U.S. Senators Approve Bill To Undo Some Tariffs On Canadian Products

The U.S. Senate approved legislation last week that, if also approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law by President Donald Trump, would end the Trump administration’s 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports. More specifically, the bill would terminate the February 1, 2025 emergency order President Trump used to implement the penalties, thus eliminating the tariffs on Canadian imports implemented as a result.

As Connecting the Dots reported previously, the president’s order cited the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose these penalties. That law allows for no requests for exemptions. The Metals Service Center Institute has not taken a position on the Senate legislation, or on these blanket tariffs. (The institute has issued a statement on Section 232 tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods. Read that statement at this link.)

The bill was introduced by Democrats in the chamber, but four Republicans voted for it as well. Despite the support from GOP lawmakers, the measure is unlikely to go anywhere in the lower chamber of Congress since Republican House leaders have prohibited such disapproval resolutions from being considered. Additionally, even if House lawmakers were to approve the legislation, President Trump almost certainly would veto it. Still, the measure shows limited Republican willingness to challenge the Trump administration’s trade policy.

U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) sponsored the legislation.